CFU NEWS - Warner: I'll serve for as long as they want me to...

Photo shows Jack Warner and members of the CFU and the CONCACAF Executive Committee at the CFU Congress in Curacao last week. Second photo shows Warner with Digicel Group Sponsorship manager Kieran Foley and Rignaal Francisca, President of the Netherlands Antilles FA.



Warner: I’ll keep going for as long as they want me to



Issued by Shaun Fuentes, CFU Media Officer, April 3, 2007



Following his recent reelection unopposed as CONCACAF President for another four-year term, Jack Warner says he intends to keep that position for as long as he is wanted there by members in the region.



Warner was speaking after leading a successful 30th annual congress of the Caribbean Football Union in Curacao last week when he addressed a number of issues including his intentions to develop several aspects of the game in the region.



He also expressed his satisfaction that the entire CFU organization offered its fullest support towards the St Lucian Football Federation in its battle with their Government over the access of land for the completion of its FIFA Goal project. Last year Warner attended the sod turning for the start of construction of a national training centre on land leased by the government at the time. However after a change in Government the project has been put on hold as the new government wants to move the project to another site. St Lucian Football Association President Wilkie Larcher says the move reeks partisanship.



As words of congratulations continued to be poured on Warner from guests and officials, including those from the CONCACAF Executive which also held its meeting in Curacao, the FIFA Vice President responded to questions on how much longer he would continue to serve as CONCACAF President. His reelection for the term 2007-2011 follows seventeen years in that same position.



“I intend to stay as long as the people want me but more importantly I also know my body and it tells me a term or two again will be enough,” the CFU President told CFU Media. “There are things have to do and I’m almost there. I have to put women’s football on a high plateau , I have to get youth football where it should be.. I have to make indoor football a reality and I have to put football administration in better hands. Once I do this in two or four or six years, then I will be gone because the legacy would have been left,” Warner said.



He also expressed dismay over the staging of the current Cricket World Cup.



“The biggest con job ever passed off on a region is this Cricket World Cup and it is one of immense proportion not just by the organization but by the governments as well that have taken limited resources of their people’s money and put it in a dying sport. If there is anything that this World Cup has done well is it has shown people what not to do in the future.



“Imagine in Antigua for a public holiday a brand new stadium is half filled. This has been a World Cup for the organizers, the visitors and the players but certainly not for the people. That’s why the stadiums are empty and that in itself is a con job.”



On the issue of governments saying that the newly constructed and refurbished venues be used solely for cricket after the tournament, Warner again let his feelings known.



“It’s foolish! The governments don’t even understand that no public facilities of this magnitude can be for cricket only and survive. When Barbados plays Jamaica in a cricket game, you can hardly get a good crowd but put the same countries in a World Cup qualifier or even a friendly and you shall see the turn out. Football has to rescue these facilities. It is the most popular sport and it’s the people’s sport,” Warner concluded.